COPE Calls on City Council to Pass Olympic Village Affordability Motion

For Immediate Release: April 30, 2012

The Coalition of Progressive Electors is calling on City Council to adopt Councillor Adriane Carr’s motion designed to prevent increased utility costs for Olympic Village tenants at tomorrow’s council session.

Low-income residents of the Olympic Village can’t afford increased monthly costs, given their current low level of monthly assistance. The City of Vancouver should be adopting a strong definition of affordability, not a standard poorer than that of BC Housing.

COPE’s External Chair RJ Aquino said: “It is vital that this motion be passed, and it’s worrisome that this issue hasn’t already been addressed by the current council. COPE is calling on the city to recognize that low-income tenants should pay no more than 30 percent of their income for rent including utilities for their suites in the Olympic Village and throughout the city.”

The promised affordable components of the Olympic Village have already been drastically reduced under the past two councils. COPE believes that allowing residents to be billed above-and-beyond what they can afford in city-developed social housing goes against the spirit of Olympic inclusivity promises, and sets a dangerous precedent for future social housing projects in Vancouver.

Aquino continued: “the issue of unaffordability has been long discussed, but action needs to be taken, and this is a tangible step on the long road toward addressing the affordability crisis in our city.”

About Us:

The Coalition of Progressive Electors was formed in 1968 as a coalition of the Vancouver and District Labour Council, housing activists, and residents concerned with the municipal government's inaction on important issues for working people. COPE is committed to a just and sustainable city and will work to achieve this by providing options to meet basic needs that reduce emissions and support environmental well-being. COPE is a strong and vocal opponent of development and resource exploitation that endangers the health and well-being of our planet and future generations.